Observations from an Outsider

The following are some observations I had about life in Prague. I didn’t want to forget these observations and thought that they would also be interesting to share.

1. Women wear tan tights/stockings with anything including under jeans, with open toed shoes, etc.

2. Dogs are often not on leashes. They just walk obediently next to their owners. Most of the time they don’t even recognize that you are walking by! They are also allowed into most coffee shops and restaurants.

3. At almost all restaurants/cafes/coffee shops you are expected to find a seat and sit down, and they will come to you to take your order. Even when it seems like you might order at the counter. This doesn’t apply for fast food chains (KFC, Starbucks, etc).

4. Cars are parked strategically up onto the sidewalk on narrow streets.

5. You can recognize an American by how loud they are in public. Most of the locals speak much quieter even in larger groups. Americans are just loud.

6. Often when you want a park bench to sit down on, you will find an abundance of benches!

7. Just about everyone speaks English.

8. People wear comfortable flat shoes all of the time. Even at bars and clubs it is very rare to see anyone in stilettos or heels. This would be completely impractical due to the walking on cobblestone streets.

9. Beer is acceptable to drink at just about any time of the day and drinking is a huge part of the culture.

10. The food is not the healthiest. Traditional Czech food consists of meat and bread. I found myself craving fresh vegetables and fruit. It takes some investigating to find great and healthy local spots.

11. Smoking is very common and is acceptable in bars, clubs, and even some restaurants. Just be careful or you and your clothes will smell like smoke for the entire day.

12. The architecture is beautiful everywhere. I found myself being more attracted to the modern/contemporary buildings and restaurants because it was unique.

Today is my last day in Prague and I absolutely adored the city. I’m certainly sad to leave, but excited to see what Ljubljana is all about. 🙂